Best Juneau Glacier Helicopter Tours

Walking on a glacier and dog sledding in the snow are both popular bucket-list activities for visitors to Alaska.  There is no better place to do these activities than in Juneau. Situated on the edge of the 1,500 square mile Juneau Ice Field, Juneau provides ample opportunities for glacier helicopter tours. Alaska Shore Excursions offers more glacier helicopter tours than any other retailer. From frolicking in the snow with sled dogs to ice climbing to awe-inspiring glacier guided walks, we are certain to have the perfect glacier helicopter tour for you.

Read on to find our picks for the best helicopter tours in Juneau:

Best 'Bucket List' Glacier Helicopter Tour - Juneau Glacier Dogsled Extended Tour via Helicopter

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Herbert Glacier

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier, Dog Sledding

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Comfort-First Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids, Active and Adventure Seekers

If you were to pick just one glacier tour to enjoy in Alaska, the  Juneau Glacier Dogsled Extended Tour via Helicopter is our #1 recommendation. This tour combines the best of glacier dog sledding with a guided glacier walk. Your tour will begin at the snow-covered musher’s camp, where 200+ sled dogs will greet you with happy barks and wagging tails. You’ll meet your dog team, who will pull you across the snow-covered glacier on a thrilling sled ride. After a quick meet and greet with the camp puppies, you’ll board your helicopter and land at a lower elevation on the glacier, where you will enjoy a guided walk on the glacier ice. With a perfect 5-star rating, there is simply no other glacier helicopter tour like it in Juneau.

Best Juneau Glacier Dog Sledding - Juneau Dog Sledding & Glacier Helicopter Tour

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Herbert Glacier

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier, Dog Sledding

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Comfort-First Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids, Active and Adventure Seekers

“Best excursion ever, according to kids and adults,” said one reviewer. On this trip, you can combine a helicopter ride over the glaciers of Juneau Icefield with a picture perfect Alaska dog sledding tour. It is the most popular glacier dog sledding helicopter tour in Juneau, with countless reviewers saying this was the highlight of their trip and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Best Juneau Glacier Walk -  Juneau Icefield Helicopter Tour

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Herbert Glacier

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Limited Mobility & ADA Travelers, Comfort-First Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids, Active and Adventure Seekers

Enjoy majestic views as you ride in a helicopter over the Juneau Icefield, then land upon Herbert Glacier. You’ll take a relaxing 20 to 25-minute stroll along the glacier’s surface, checking out crevasses, streams, moulins, and more. This is the only glacier helicopter in Juneau that is ADA accessible.

Best Unique Glacier Helicopter Tour - Juneau Taku Glacier Exploration via Airboat and Helicopter

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Taku Glacier, Taku River

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier, Airboat

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids, Active and Adventure Seekers

Get ready to explore Taku Glacier via helicopter, airboat, and foot on this exciting adventure. From the air, you'll see stunning glacial features. After landing at a remote helipad at the base of the Taku Glacier, you’ll board an airboat, get up close to the glacier, and reach out and touch it! After the airboat ride, you’ll reboard the helicopter and head to a higher elevation on the glacier for a 10 to 15-minute walk on the gloriously blue glacier ice. With no more than 5 people per departure, this is a true hidden gem that will exceed your expectations.

Best Private Glacier Helicopter Tour - Juneau Private Icefield Helicopter Tour

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Herbert Glacier

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Limited Mobility & ADA Travelers, Comfort-First Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids, Active and Adventure Seekers

The only private helicopter tour in Juneau, this personalized adventure allows you to experience the Herbert Glacier from above and on the ice, where glittering ice fields and breathtaking scenery await. This tour takes a maximum of 6 people per helicopter. 

Best Active Glacier Helicopter Tour - Juneau Helicopter Glacier Trek

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Taku Glacier, Norris Glacier, Mendenhall Glacier, Gilky Glacier, Battle Glacier, Thiel Glacier

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Active and Adventure Seekers, Wildlife and Nature Lovers

With two hours of trekking on a glacier, you'll walk away with the knowledge of how best to travel on a glacier surface, have plenty of time for taking magnificent photos, and more than enough time to explore the various glacial features. This tour provides the longest amount of time on a glacier.

Best New Glacier Helicopter Tour - Juneau Helicopter Glacier Ice Climbing Tour

Port: Juneau

Points of Interest: Juneau Icefield, Taku Glacier, Norris Glacier, Mendenhall Glacier, Gilky Glacier, Battle Glacier, Thiel Glacier

Highlights: Helicopter, Glacier

Best For: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Active and Adventure Seekers

For those who want to ‘climb every mountain’, this is the perfect tour. Under the tutelage of your experienced glacier guides, you’ll climb on a massive 300-ft ice wall on this thrilling tour. Your pilot will show you techniques for climbing during this educational exploration of the Juneau Icefield on this Juneau helicopter tour.

Juneau Glacier Helicopter Tour FAQs:

How much time will I be on a glacier?
For all glacier dogsledding tours, you will be on a snowy part of the glacier for 60 minutes. For the Juneau Icefield Helicopter Tour, you will be on the glacier for 20 to 25 minutes, which is a sufficient amount of time, according to countless tour reviews. For the longest time on a glacier, consider the  Juneau Helicopter Glacier Trek, which includes a 2-hour hike on the glacier.

What should I wear on a glacier helicopter tour?

We recommend 2 to 3 layers of clothing: including a base layer, warmth layer, and wind/waterproof layer. For many people, a warm shirt, pants, and a coat are ideal. Closed-toed shoes, hats, gloves, and sunglasses are also recommended. Snow pants and snow boots are unnecessary.

What happens if the weather is bad?

If the tour provider determines that the weather is unsafe to fly, they will contact you at the phone number you provided at checkout. If your tour is canceled due to poor weather, your tour will be refunded in full. Refunds are typically issued within 24 hours of the cancellation.

I want to walk on a glacier. Do I have to take a helicopter tour?

Yes, the glaciers in Juneau are situated high in the mountains. The only way to get to the glacier is by air. Although we do offer hiking tours near Mendenhall Glacier, such as the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour and the Juneau Guided Mendenhall Glacier Hike, these tours visit the rocky moraine at the edge of a glacier, not the ice.

Ready for more tours? Check out the 10 best tours in Alaska or consider tours on land or by train.